Aftermath
by LaurenVeronica
Summary: Takes place after an upcoming episode, so its spoilerish. Jackie and Hyde reflect on their now complicated situation. Its my first fan fic attempt so be gentle.


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from That 70s Show , so don't try suing me cause I'm just a poor college student that has to mooch off her parents. So enjoy my angsty little piece of fanfic. Its my first attempt at a That 70's Show story so please go soft on the reviews please.  
  
  
  
  
  
Aftermath  
  
  
  
  
  
Get off my boyfriend? Get off my boyfriend? God what the hell is wrong with you Jackie? You have just lost the one good thing left in your life. Jackie thought to herself as she curled up into the fetal position on her bed. Her house was completely silent except for the sound of her own sobs. Her father was still in prison and her mother was... well come to think of it, she had no idea where her mother was. Not a big surprise though. She rarely knew where her mother ran off to anymore. Sometimes Mrs. Burkhardt would scamper off to Mexico or some island in the Caribbean, and she never once stopped to ask Jackie if she would like to go. But this had always been the way Jackie's mother treated her. As if she wasn't even there. Jackie had never let anyone know that her mother had always thought of her as a burden. One time when Jackie was in middle school her mother had even told her she was a mistake, that she wasn't supposed to be here. That's why Jackie had always been daddy's little girl. Because even if she had been a mistake her father didn't show it. Plus he gave her money, and while money can't buy you happiness it sure can cheer you up, and Jackie definitely knew first hand about that one. But Jackie's father was in prison now, and she was running out of money. The thought of being poor terrified her to the core. And now that Jackie had blown it with Steven she was completely alone.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
"Hyde wait!" Eric yelled as Steven grabbed his jacket and walked out the basement door. "Alright! Two girls, man its just like old times." Kelso said. Donna walked over to where Kelso and Annette were standing and punched him in the shoulder. "Shut up Kelso!" Kelso winced in pain. "Ow Donna come on.... that hurt." Donna glared at him and crossed back to the other side of the room. "Good you sonofabitch! You don't deserve two women." Fez said. " I, Fez deserves two women, but not you. Oh Donna why don't the women want me?" Donna didn't even bother to reply to Fez. Instead she picked up her jacket and headed out after Eric. **************************************************************************** ****  
  
"Foreman just leave me alone." Hyde said through clenched teeth. At this point Hyde was so close to tears that just the mention of her name would set him off. How could she betray me like that? After all this time she still thinks of Kelso as her boyfriend. I was so stupid to get involved with her. I just should have broke it off when Eric and Donna had caught us on the couch. But no, I had to get all attached to her and have feelings for her. I should have known it wouldn't have ever worked out between us. We're just too different. She's rich and has everything, and I'm just the orphan boy that no one loves. " Seriously Hyde, dude just wait up. I've been following you for three blocks and I'm starting to get tired. You know I have small legs!" Eric yelled. But it was just another failed attempt. " God Eric, move." Donna said pushing him out of the way. Donna jogged up to Hyde and stood in front of him. "Hyde, you know she didn't mean it." Donna said trying to get a response from her hurt friend. "Donna I don't want to talk about, not with anyone. Just leave me alone." Hyde said walking around Donna. By that time Eric had caught up with his two friends and decided to try again. "Hyde, you've gotta talk to us or else you're gonna do something stupid because you're mad. And you know Red isn't gonna bail you out over a stupid fight with Jackie." And like usual Eric said the wrong thing and set Hyde off. " Just a stupid fight? Just a stupid fight? Foreman you have no idea what I feel like right now alright. I don't even know what I'm feeling." Hyde said as he clenched his fists. Eric took a step back and cautiously replied, "No I don't know how you're feeling that's why you should talk to us." "Yea Hyde, maybe we can help." Donna chimed in. This was it Hyde thought, he was going to loose it in front of Foreman and Donna. "You wanna know how I feel? Ok, I feel like my heart has just been ripped out and shredded in front of my own eyes. The one time I give into my feelings and actually love someone they leave me. So there you go, I love Jackie and now its over because that is how it always happens. Congratulations you have now seen me as a wuss. Now that we've done all of our talking I'm leaving." With that bit of information revealed Hyde turned around and walked away leaving Eric and Donna standing dumbfounded in the middle of the street. "Eric did you just hear that? Hyde just said he loves Jackie." Eric just stood in a stunned silence. Had he just witnessed Hyde break down and admit that he loved Jackie? "Eric are you listening to me?" Donna asked. "Uh what...oh uh yea..wow that was weird. Man I've never seen Hyde like this." Eric said finally registering in his mind what had just taken place. "That's because Hyde's never been in love before." Donna simply stated.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
Jackie didn't know how long she had been asleep, but when she woke up all the pain came flooding back and tears began to form in her eyes. I guess it wasn't a dream she thought sadly to herself. She had never felt this bad in her entire life, and to top it off she couldn't even blame it on anyone else. No this was completely her fault. And in that moment Jackie's guilt and pain turned into anger. She was so mad at herself she couldn't think straight and before she knew what she was doing she had started ripping down all her childish poster. You're a 17 year old girl Jackie, you should not have stupid stuffed animals and stupid teeny bopper posters everywhere. Grow up and act your age she silently scolded at herself. When Jackie finally stopped mentally beat herself up she looked around her room through tear filled eyes. There was shreds of her David Bowie poster littering her pink carpet, her stuffed animals had been thrown in all directions. Her room was a complete mess and her anger once again turned back into pain.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
Hyde didn't know why or how he had ended up sitting in front of Jackie's house, but he had. What are you doing here man? This is not you, you do not do things like this. Thoughts of what had just happened replayed through his brain and the pain flared up in his heart again. Stop being a pansy and just go up there. Talk to her. You know you want to. Don't let things end so quickly. You love her and you want her to know this. After convincing himself further Hyde decided to get out of his car, be a man and attempt to solve this problem. He knocked on her door for what seemed like hours, which in reality had only been about 10 seconds. The door opened slowly to reveal Louisa, the family's maid. "Um is Jackie here?" Hyde asked hesitantly. Louisa shook her head and stepped back to let Hyde in. The walk to Jackie's room seemed like an eternity and Hyde had thought of turning around and leaving more then once. Finally he reached her door and knocked softly. Though the door muffled the sounds, he heard crying and then, "Go away Louisa I just want to be left alone." Hyde cautiously turned the knob and stepped into her room, which looked as if a tornado had run through it. "I thought I said I..." but before Jackie could finish her sentence she realized that it wasn't Louisa in the door it was Hyde. "Jackie we need to talk." Hyde stated sternly not making eye contact with her. He had never seen her so upset before and his heart started to ache even more. Jackie climbed off her bed and ran to him, swinging her arms around his neck and pulling him close. "Steven I'm so sorry. I... I don't know why I...oh Steven I'm sorry." She once again broke down and sobbed uncontrollably into his shoulder. Hyde fought for words as he held back his tears. The only sound that escaped his lips was simply, "Why?" Jackie slowly pulled back from him and started to speak. "Its just... I was with him for three years of my life and to see him with someone else...someone he spent the entire summer with after leaving me...I just wasn't ready to see that. He's not supposed to be over me yet." Hyde took a step back and pondered what he was going to say. "So are you saying you're not over him Jackie? Is that what it is?" Hyde's voice became increasingly louder until he was almost yelling at her. "Are you going to leave me for him? Huh? Is that what you're gonna do? You've had your fun with me and now you're going back to him?" Jackie had never seen Steven so angry and hurt. "No, Steven I'm not gonna leave you... I told you he's not supposed to be over..." "You know what Jackie, I'll make easy on you, we're over, and I'm gone." Hyde turned around and stormed out of Jackie's room. "Steven wait!" But Jackie knew it was useless, he wasn't coming back, she had lost him.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
The lights were dim and the air was smoky in the Foreman basement. Eric, Donna, Kelso and Fez all sat around in their "ceremonial" circle. "So guys, two girls...eh?? I knew Jackie would come running back to me." Kelso giggled and took another hit from the bong. "Oh Kelso, you are so stupid. Jackie did not come running back to you, she just did not want you to be over her. Hey do I smell brownies?" Fez quickly got up and scampered up the stairs. "Man, guys I've never seen Hyde like this before. I mean he's actually like upset.... and that's just not like...you know...normal. What the hell does Jackie do to you guys?" Eric looked over at Kelso. "Man...I dunno, she's just Jackie. And she came running back to me, because I'm what you call man pretty." Donna shot a glance at Kelso. "Kelso shut up. Jackie did not come running back to you. God, we have to figure out a way to fix this or else its gonna be hell around here." "Wha... Hyde, hey man... uh so how you been?" Eric asked. Hyde in- hailed a large amount of smoke as three pairs of eyes stared at him intently. "Man I'm outta here." Hyde stood up and walked back to his room. Once inside he lay on his bed and just thought about the conversation, well lack there of he had just had with Jackie. He knew she was sorry and didn't mean what she had said, but it hurt his pride, and pride was about the only thing left he had. And that's why he had ended it.  
  
**************************************************************************** **** "Oh Donna what am I gonna do? He broke up with me Donna, he actually broke up with me." Jackie cried into Donna's shoulder. Jackie had called Donna a few minutes after Hyde had left and Donna, like the good friend she was came rushing over. Jackie knew it must be weird for Donna to be stuck in the middle of this whole thing, but at this point she didn't care, she just wanted to be comforted. "Well Jackie can you really blame him? I mean you called Kelso your boyfriend in front of him, in front of everyone. I mean how do you think Hyde felt?" Jackie felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. "You're taking his side?" Donna stood up and walked to the other side of Jackie's messy room. "Jackie I'm not taking anyone's side at all, I'm just saying... you called Kelso your boyfriend and you've been with Hyde for like almost 8 months now, does that not sound a tad bit off to you?" "But Donna I didn't mean it. It was just like a reaction ya know. I mean if you saw Eric making out with another girl after you two broke up I'm sure you would feel the same way." Jackie stated. " Maybe, but I wouldn't yell it out in front of everyone, especially not my new boyfriend." "Oh forget it Donna. I've totally screwed this up. I just want to be alone right now." Jackie said as an attempt to get her friend to leave. It was obvious that Donna was not thinking the same way she was, so why even bother. "Fine Jackie, I'll leave but you really need to get this all worked out soon, because people are going to start taking sides and its not going to be pretty." Donna said as she walked out of Jackie's bedroom. She's right, I have to go straighten everything out. First I'll talk to Michael, then I'll try to salvage what I have left with Steven. Aww man I hate it when she's right.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
The sun was just starting to set as Jackie finally pulled herself together and started off to Eric's house. She knew Kelso would be over there, mainly because she had called Donna and asked her to make sure he would be over there, preferably outside so she wouldn't have to see Steven yet. She was still working up the strength to get to that obstacle. Jackie finally made it to the Foreman drive way and low and behold Kelso was in the drive way shooting hoops with Fez. Jackie walked up the driveway with a no non-sense stern look upon her face. "Michael we need to talk." She said, then glared at Fez, who got the hint surprisingly quickly. Michael dropped the basketball and put his arm around Jackie's shoulders. "Sure thing babe, I was hoping we could talk." Jackie threw his arm off of her and took a few steps back. God how could you have ever been in love with him? She thought to herself annoyed. " Look Michael I came over here to tell you that I don't love you anymore, in fact I don't know if I ever did truly love you. I mean I thought I felt love for you, but now I'm not so sure." Kelso's face dropped and he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well damn Jackie is that all you had to tell me?" "No Michael it isn't, and if you wouldn't interrupt me then maybe I could tell you everything I have to say. Look, it freaked me out seeing you with Annette. Mainly because she's a super skank and oh yea, you were supposed to still be pinning over me. You were supposed to feel as bad as I did all those times you cheated on me. But obviously you are over me, which in a way I'm glad because you and me, its never going to happen again, ever. Do you understand me Michael? Never ever again. I love Steven and because of you, I've lost him, and knowing him, probably forever. So stop thinking I want you back, because I don't. Calling you my boyfriend was just a gut reaction. So there, that's all I have to say to you." Michael looked extremely devastated, but she knew he would get over it, he always did. That was maybe the one thing Jackie had always admired about Kelso, his ability to get over things quickly oh and his gorgeous eye lashes .Jackie took a deep breathe and slowly started to turn around. Man that was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I didn't mean to be so harsh but I've got to make it clear to him that its over between us and its going to stay that way. And that's when she saw him. He was standing at the sliding glass door along with Donna, Fez, Eric, and Kitty, who by the way was in tears, probably from the whole menopause thing. I wonder if they had all heard that?  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
So she loves me? Hyde thought. Though when it comes to Jackie saying I love you isn't a very hard thing for her to do. Besides she had told him plenty of times that she loved him even before they got together. But the more he thought about it he realized that she had never once told him she loved him since they had been together in the last 8 months. Wow, maybe she does love me. His thoughts were interrupted by the faint knocking on his door. "Come in." He grunted at whoever was at the door. Jackie stepped in looking a bit frightened and if she might pass out. "Steven can we talk?" Jackie asked hesitantly. "Sure." He replied solemnly. "Look Steven I just came here to tell you...." she was cut off before she could finish. "Wait Jackie...let me talk first. Look I overreacted, which is something I totally don't do. And I partly blame myself and I partly blame you for that. You just have this like affect on me and its weird. I have all these feelings for you that I'm not supposed to have, but I do. So when you called Kelso your boyfriend it just kinda hit me." He said standing up from his bed. Jackie was confused by his last comment. "What hit you?" She asked. "Oh god, well, I can't believe I'm gonna to say this to you, but it hit me that I love you. That I'm in love with you. And that's not something I planned to be." After he had finally admitted his feelings for her it seemed as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Wha..oh Steven, I love you too, I love you more then you'll ever know." Jackie ran across the room and flung herself onto him. The two were locked in a tight embrace for minutes, passionately kissing one another and holding onto each other as if they were falling, which they were, falling that is, in love. Jackie surprisingly was the first to break away from the embrace. "So, where does this leave us Steven, I mean you broke up with me..." Jackie was shaking inside waiting for the answer. "Jackie I just told you that I love you, what do you think?" Steven said. Jackie wrapped her arms around his neck and once again started kissing him. The pair found their way to his bed and let their love for one another engulf them.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
"Man they've been in there for hours. I wonder what's going on?" Eric asked. Fez glanced at Eric from his chair. "Duh stupid they are probably in there doing it." Donna looked at Fez and suggested they go find out. So the three of them cautiously made their way to Hyde's bedroom door just as it was flung open. Their two pairs of eyes met the other three's pairs of eyes and no one said anything for a moment until Fez said, "You two look all sweaty. What have you been doing?" Jackie and Hyde just looked at each other and the rest of the group knew what they were thinking. True, it was a bit too much information for them all to take in, but it was a pleasant ending to this unhappy ordeal. 


End file.
